Crossnore Communities for Children launched its Prevention Department in 2021. The goal of developing a continuum of programs to reduce the risk of children having to leave their homes for foster care, group care or other out-of-home placements. Crossnore currently offers two programs targeted to accomplish this goal of reducing out-of-home placements in our communities. One program is HOMEBUILDERS®.
HOMEBUILDERS®
HOMEBUILDERS® staff provide in-home crisis interventions, counseling, and life skills education for families whose children are at imminent and immediate risk of removal from their homes and placement into foster care. Services are provided for 4-6 weeks with 10 hours each week. Staff help families quickly implement new strategies and learn skills. This ensures the safety and security of all children in the home.
HOMEBUILDERS® staff work with families to address a broad range of needs. We work with parents to ensure they have adequate tools and supports to take care of their children and themselves. We assist in developing daily routines, rituals, and structure to reduce concerns about home cleanliness, supervision, and school attendance. We teach positive parenting strategies and foster positive, healthy connection opportunities with their children. We also often support parents in accessing mental health care and substance abuse treatment, for them or their children.
Crossnore began offering HOMEBUILDERS® services in 2021, with one staff member serving the Triad region. Since then, our program has grown to seven full-time staff members. HOMEBUILDERS® has served 108 children and families in the Triad and nearby communities. In January 2024, the program received a regional contract from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) for expansion. This contract will fund services to reach 15 counties neighboring our Winston-Salem location. These counties include Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Davidson, Davie, Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange, Person, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, and Yadkin. We anticipate ongoing growth in this program to help more children stay safely with their families. The second program is Family Foundations.
Family Foundations
Family Foundations provides in-home therapy for children with complex mental health and behavioral challenges at risk of removal. Services last 4-6 months, with an average of 1-3 sessions per week. The program provides mental health therapy for children with acute care needs like suicidal ideation, aggression, running away, and other high risk behaviors. this program also utilizes an evidence-based attachment and trauma-informed caregiver model for parents.
Family Foundations teaches trauma-informed and positive parenting strategies to parents. This program takes a team-based approach to provide intense treatment and holistic care. Our teams are trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Trust-Based Relational Interventions and Motivational Interviewing. They partner with physicians, school staff, social workers, and community partners for support. The teams also to identify and offer concrete resources for families. We ensure families have stable housing, adequate food security, and employment resources.
Crossnore began offering Family Foundations services in 2023 in the Triad region. The program has since expanded to serve familiesf rom Asheboro to Hendersonville. Since starting, Family Foundations has succesfully served 22 children and their families. Every child has remained safely in their homes. In the coming year ,we plan to further expand this program further. Our goal is to increase service capacity in the Triad region and expand our reach.
Crossnore is committed to ensuring every child has a place to call home. We believe every child can safely stay with their family. Our Prevention Department is eager to grow and offer skills and support to help families succeed.
